Parrots (6 Viewers)

[JustinJansen]

Thank you Justin for posting your Mascarinus mascarin photograph. The tail is very worn. I assume the eyeball is glass but it is light brown?

indeed you are correct, remember this specimen was collected at the Sonnerat voyage... so it is a very old specimen, that is why this wear is on the bird.

 

[Capreolus]

The Parisian bird was not collected on the Sonnerat voyage. In 1784, Mauduyt recorded that he had seen several Mascarinus mascarinus alive in Paris, and it is probably one of these captives that is preserved in Paris today.

The plumage has not only suffered from great age, but was probably also damaged by sulphuric acid used to fumigate the cases in the Paris museum in the 1790s. Hence, much of the tail and distal wing feathers have been destroyed. In addition, the skull was removed, which is why the head has a peculiar shape and the nostrils are missing.

In life, the iridies, cere, and bare skin around the eyes were red, like the bill.

Rick

 

[JustinJansen]

The Parisian bird was not collected on the Sonnerat voyage. In 1784, Mauduyt recorded that he had seen several Mascarinus mascarinus alive in Paris, and it is probably one of these captives that is preserved in Paris today.

The plumage has not only suffered from great age, but was probably also damaged by sulphuric acid used to fumigate the cases in the Paris museum in the 1790s. Hence, much of the tail and distal wing feathers have been destroyed. In addition, the skull was removed, which is why the head has a peculiar shape and the nostrils are missing.

In life, the iridies, cere, and bare skin around the eyes were red, like the bill.

Rick

You are right Rick, was confused with the pigeon, that was collected on the Sonnerat vovage.

 

[Capreolus]

Understandable, Justin. The two came to the museum around the same time.

Although you and I both referred to the "Sonnerat voyage," he never led a voyage. Pierre Sonnerat was an artist who accompanied the traveler-naturalist Philibert Commerson on Bougainville's circumnavigatory expedition (1766-1769). Commerson remained on Mauritius in order to study the natural history of Madagascar and the Mascarenes. He died in Mauritius in 1773 after accumulating a huge trove of specimens and notes, which were brought back to Paris in 1774 by another of his artists, Paul Jossigny.

Only three 18th century bird specimens from the Mascarenes survive in the Paris museum today, a Masacrene Parrot, Mascarinus mascarinus, a Mauritius Blue Pigeon, Alectroenas nitidissima, and a Hoopoe (or Reunion Crested) Starling, Fregilupus varius. The origin of the parrot is uncertain, but the starling was probably collected by Commerson, and the pigeon either by Commerson or Sonnerat, who described the species in 1782 and presented the specimen to the museum. It's likely Sonnerat used Commerson's specimens and notes when compiling both of his books.

In addition, there are several drawings of extinct Mascarene birds in the Paris museum that were done by Jossigny, including the Hoopoe Starling (indicating that the specimen in Paris was collected by Commerson), the Mauritius Owl, Mascarenotus sauzieri, and the Rodrigues (or Newton's) Parakeet, Psittacula exsul.

Rick

 

[JustinJansen]

Only three 18th century bird specimens from the Mascarenes survive in the Paris museum today, a Masacrene Parrot, Mascarinus mascarinus, a Mauritius Blue Pigeon, Alectroenas nitidissima, and a Hoopoe (or Reunion Crested) Starling, Fregilupus varius.

Dear Rick, not completely correct as (but I researched not all full), the books in Paris indicate more specimens that should be still present for example Circus melanoleucus, Circus cinereus and Athene superciliaris (only did a small part of the books in research). They are all indicated as from Inde from Sonnerat. Did not check them in the collection however. Cheers, Justin

 

[Capreolus]

Hi Justin,

I apologize; I should have been more specific. I was referring only to specimens of extinct birds collected in the Mascarenes in the 18th century that survive in the Paris museum.

I was also incorrect in stating that Sonnerat accompanied Commerson around the world with Bougainville. Actually, Commerson met both Sonnerat and Jossigny on Mauritius, when Commerson landed there with the Bouganiville expedition (on its way home to France) and accepted a commission by the island's governor to study the natural history of the Mascarenes and Madagascar. Sonnerat and Jossigny were assigned to Commerson to draw the specimens he collected.

However, Sonnerat left Mauritius in 1769, a year after Commerson arrived there, and subsequently visited several regions of Asia on his own, including the Philippines, the Moluccas, India, and China. The specimens you mention were probably collected on those trips. He wrote 2 books about his travels, in 1776 and 1782.

Sonnerat gave 2 specimens of Alectroenas nitidissima to the Paris museum, but only one survives today. He described the species (in French) in his 1782 book, but didn't give it a Latin name. Scopoli officially named the species Columba nitidissima in 1786. However, he never actually saw Sonnerat's specimens: he just Latinized Sonnerat's account.

Rick

 

[cuckooroller]

Joseph, Toon, Schirtzinger, Wright & Schodde 2012. A revised nomenclature and classification for family-group taxa of parrots (Psittaciformes). Zootaxa 3205: 26–40.

If of interest to someone, send me a PM with e-mail.

 

[Mysticete]

A link to the paper is also available here:

http://biology-web.nmsu.edu/twright/publications.html

I wonder if the taxonomy proposed here will be followed by any major taxonomic authorities?

 

[Richard Klim]

Schirtzinger et al

Schirtzinger, Tavares, Gonzales, Eberhard, Miyaki, Sanchez, Hernandez, Müeller, Graves, Fleischer & Wright (in press). Multiple independent origins of mitochondrial control region duplications in the order Psittaciformes. Mol Phylogenet Evol. [abstract]

 

[Richard Klim]

Seychelles Vasa Parrot

Kundu, Jones, Prys-Jones & Groombridge (in press). The evolution of the Indian Ocean parrots (Psittaciformes): extinction, adaptive radiation and eustacy. Mol Phylogenet Evol. [abstract]

Coracopsis (nigra) barklyi listed by IOC as a proposed split.
www.worldbirdnames.org/updates/proposed-splits

 

[Richard Klim]

Manegold 2013

Manegold 2013. Two new parrot species (Psittaciformes) from the early Pliocene of Langebaanweg, South Africa, and their palaeoecological implications. Ibis 155(1): 127–139. [abstract] [supp info]

• Agapornis attenboroughi n. sp.
• Khwenena leopoldinae n. gen. et n. sp.

 

[Richard Klim]

Manegold 2013 pdf

Manegold 2013. Two new parrot species (Psittaciformes) from the early Pliocene of Langebaanweg, South Africa, and their palaeoecological implications. Ibis 155(1): 127–139. [abstract] [supp info]

Free access to Ibis 155(1) at the moment, including Manegold 2013. [pdf]

 

[Richard Klim]

Schirtzinger et al 2012 pdf

Schirtzinger, Tavares, Gonzales, Eberhard, Miyaki, Sanchez, Hernandez, Müeller, Graves, Fleischer & Wright (in press). Multiple independent origins of mitochondrial control region duplications in the order Psittaciformes. Mol Phylogenet Evol. [abstract]

Mol Phylogenet Evol 64(2): 342–356. [pdf]

 

[Melanie]

Zootaxa 3691 (5): 591–596 (24 Jul. 2013)
Higher classification of New World parrots (Psittaciformes; Arinae), with diagnoses of tribes
RICHARD SCHODDE, J. V. REMSEN, JR., ERIN E. SCHIRTZINGER, LEO JOSEPH & TIMOTHY F. WRIGHT

Abstract

 

[Richard Klim]

Arinae

Zootaxa 3691 (5): 591–596 (24 Jul. 2013)
Higher classification of New World parrots (Psittaciformes; Arinae), with diagnoses of tribes
RICHARD SCHODDE, J. V. REMSEN, JR., ERIN E. SCHIRTZINGER, LEO JOSEPH & TIMOTHY F. WRIGHT
Abstract

Proposed classification – already adopted by Dickinson & Remsen 2013 (H&M4)...

• AMOROPSITTACINI Brereton, 1963: Touit, Psilopsiagon, Bolborhynchus, Nannopsittaca
  
  
• FORPINI Brereton, 1963: Forpus
  
  
• ARINI G.R. Gray, 1840 (1825): Pionites, Deroptyus, Pyrrhura, Enicognathus, Cyanoliseus, Anodorhynchus, Rhynchopsitta, Eupsittula, Conuropsis, Aratinga, Cyanopsitta, Orthopsittaca, Primolius, Ara, Leptosittaca, Ognorhynchus, Guarouba, Diopsittaca, Thectocercus, Psittacara
  
  
• ANDROGLOSSINI Sundevall, 1872: Myiopsitta, Brotogeris, Pionopsitta, Triclaria, Hapalopsittaca, Pyrilia, Pionus, Graydidascalus, Alipiopsitta, Amazona

PS. H&M4 (also IOC, BirdLife) uses the spelling Guaruba...

Dual original spellings. First Reviser: Lesson see Forshaw (2006) and David et al. (2009).

 

[Richard Klim]

Strigopidae

Chambers & Worthy 2013. Our evolving view of the kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) and its allies. Notornis 60(3): 197–200. [abstract]

[Presented at the 2013 NZ Bird Conference (Dunedin, 1–2 Jun).]

John Boyd (TiF): www.jboyd.net/Taxo/List12.html#strigopidae.

 

[Richard Klim]

Kakapo

Chambers & Worthy 2013. Our evolving view of the kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) and its allies. Notornis 60(3): 197–200. [abstract]

BBC News, 12 Sep 2013:

• Kakapo on ugly animal shortlist. :-C
  
  
• Blobfish wins ugliest animal vote. :t:

 

[Peter Kovalik]

Proposal (595) to SACC: Revise sequence of genera in the New World parrots

October 2013

 

[Daniel Philippe]

Proposal (595) to SACC: Revise sequence of genera in the New World parrots

October 2013

Thank you Peter,

Analysis and Recommendation: The proposed new sequence reflects the findings of Chaves et al. (2013) and barring additional tweaks, removes previous misconceptions on relationships in the genus; therefore, I recommend a YES.

Do you happen to know what is "Chaves et al. (2013)" ?

 

[Richard Klim]

Do you happen to know what is "Chaves et al. (2013)" ?

Daniel, I think Van has accidentally inherited that text from Proposal #593.